


The Hardest Word

by Brumeier



Series: Bite Sized Fic 2018 [61]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Apologies, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 15:31:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16875450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: LJ Comment Fic for Words That We Couldn’t Say prompt:Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tony Stark +/ any, hard to say I’m sorryIn which the author callously disregards large chunks of the movie so that everyone can be friends again with only minor amounts of angst, and has no regrets in doing so.





	The Hardest Word

Thing was, Tony could bullshit with the best of them. If the occasion arose and filibustering was needed, Tony Stark was the man you wanted at the podium. He could talk about everything and nothing for hours on end, if he was properly lubricated with top shelf Scotch.

Being real was hard. Admitting he was wrong was nearly impossible.

It was easier for Tony to let grand gestures speak for him. He bought people houses, cars, gold watches. He made donations to their favorite causes, paid off their student loans, gave scholarships and jobs and full medical to their family members.

Sometimes he even saved the world.

If only Steve Rogers could be swayed by a gold watch. But everything Tony tried to do to show him how sorry he was for how things went down with the Accords was met with polite thanks and little else.

“Just talk to him,” Natasha said. “He doesn’t want _things_.”

“No, see, but there has to be something. In his mind he’s fresh from the Great Depression and a war, he should be dazzled by all this luxury.”

“You’re an idiot,” Clint said helpfully.

Everyone else had accepted Tony’s apologies without making him say the words. They’d all come back to the Tower. But Steve was stubbornly living in an apartment in Brooklyn with the One-Armed Wonder. He could forgive the fucking Winter Soldier, who’d actively been trying to _kill him_ , but Tony continued to get the cold shoulder.

So, he changed his focus. Aimed all the grand gestures at Bucky. Built him a new arm that would hurt him much less than Hydra’s torturous prosthetic. Found Bucky’s long-lost relatives. Cleared his name in every country that allowed it. And for his troubles he received a phone call.

“You’re trying too hard,” Bucky said, and hung up before Tony could say anything in defense of himself.

“You must go,” Thor said, clapping Tony on the shoulder hard enough to make him stumble. “Meet him man to man.”

Tony cursed everyone and their families going back generations, but even he had to admit defeat. America’s Boy Scout was above taking a bribe, no matter how big or how personal. And now Tony would have to haul himself to Brooklyn and use his actual real words. Where was a handy space rift when a guy needed one?

Steve’s building didn’t look like much from outside, but Tony was pleasantly surprised by how spacious the actual apartment was. Then again, Steve had been accruing a military paycheck the entirety of the time he’d been embedded in an iceberg.

“Tony,” Steve said coolly, letting him in. He was wearing sweatpants and a too-tight t-shirt, and his feet were bare.

“I, uh…”

Bucky, who’d been reclining on the couch with a book, rolled his eyes and got up. “I’m going to my room.”

Tony, feeling unexpectedly uncomfortable faced with Steve’s bare feet, cast around for something to say. “Nice place you boys have here. I could probably get the whole building for you for a steal. You wouldn’t have to worry about neighbors or –”

“Tony,” Steve said, giving him an expectant look.

“Okay. No more bullshit. Things were said, on both sides, and I wanted to say that I…I’m…You know, things aren’t the same at the Tower without you. Everyone misses you.”

Steve crossed his arms and waited.

“There’s a possibility I handled things wrong,” Tony admitted reluctantly. “I was dealing with some issues and I should have shared them with the group instead of trying to fix it on my own. The last thing I wanted was to wreck everything and drive you away. But I think you’ll find that I –”

“Put him out of his misery, for crissakes!” Bucky shouted from the other room.

Steve wrapped his arms around Tony, hugging him tight, and Tony let out a relieved breath, hugging Steve back just as hard.

“Apology accepted,” Steve said. “And I’m sorry, too.”

“That’s good enough for me, Grandpa,” Tony replied jokingly, blinking moisture out of his eyes that absolutely was _not_ tears. He really was getting sappy in his old age.

“Think you can stay for lunch without offering to buy the deli?” Steve asked, stepping back. He had a big grin on his face.

“Depends on lunch,” Tony replied, unable to stop smiling himself.

It wouldn’t be the first time they disagreed on an issue, but it was the last time they let their differences of opinion drive a wedge between them. Nothing was more important than friendship and family.

But Tony did buy the delicatessen.

**Author's Note:**

>  **AN:** Title from the Elton John song [Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word](https://youtu.be/c3nScN89Klo).


End file.
